7 Things You Can Do to Stop Hair Loss with Thyroid Disease

Many people find quick hair fall as a specific symptom of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Indeed, these can be the worst symptoms of their thyroid problem: rapid thinning hair, large quantities of hair falling out in the shower, usually accompanied by changes in the hair’s texture, having it dry, coarse, or even easily tangled.

What can you do to deal with these thyroid-related hair loss?

Here are 7 wise steps to take to tackle thyroid-related hair loss and balding:

7 Things You Can Do to Stop Hair Loss with Thyroid Disease

1. Get an Evaluation

First of all, to deal with this type of hair loss, and prior to assuming anything related to thyroid issues, always have hair fall evaluated by a dermatologist or other hair loss expert to rule out any other causes of your hair loss, such as infection. You can visit the American Hair Loss Council to find a doctor who focuses on hair loss.

2. Be Patient

In case that you are experiencing hair fall and are just beginning treatment for a hyperthyroid or hypothyroid problem, it is likely that the fall will eventually slowing down and then stop completely, once the hormone levels are back in the normal level.

However, this can take a few months. So, while you have to take the required treatment, just be patient to get your hair back at the normal condition.

Thyroid Hair Loss

3. Understand the Types of Hair Loss

There are 3 popular kinds of hair fall:

1. General hair lost throughout the head. Usually, with hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism prior to treatment, this is the most common type of hair fall. This could sometimes continue for some individuals after getting hypothyroidism treatment, and particularly when taking Synthroid.

2. A second kind of hair fall is more commonly related with fungal infection (auto-immune alopecia), and involves circular patches of hair fall or even full loss of hair in these spots. These types of hair fall conditions should be evaluated by a dermatologist since may not specifically related to thyroid issues.

3. A third kind of hair loss is male pattern hair loss. In this regards, men are the most susceptible, but women could get it as well. Male pattern hair loss is typically concentrated on the temples and top of the head. It is caused by the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. This conversion might be sped up in patients with hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.

4. Make Sure It’s Not Because of Your Thyroid Drug

It is advised that if you are taking levothyroxine drug (Synthroid) as your thyroid hormone replacement, but still losing hair, you should take real action. In fact, excessive hair fall can be a side effect of Synthroid. Unfortunately, many doctors do not realize this side effect, so do not be surprised in case that your doctor is not really aware of this.

5. Make Sure You’re Not Undertreated

Hair fall could also be a result of being undertreated or even of not being at the right treatment for thyroid hair loss condition. To understand undertreated hypothyroidism better, it is a good idea to read some resources on this topic including to find out the “normal” thyroid hormones range, or even where to find a doctor to help.

6. Look at Other Alternatives

In a recent research, Dr. Hugh Rushton, a professor at Portsmouth University, found that ninety percent of women with hair loss problems were in fact deficient in iron and the amino acid lysine. In this regards, lysine is the hardest amino acid to get enough of through a diet. In case that lysine and iron levels are very low, our body probably switches some hair follicles off to increase the lysine and iron levels elsewhere.

To deal with this deficiency issues, there are some natural ways to help your hair loss problems including:

Arginine

Cysteine

Green Tea

Polysorbate 80

Progesterone

Saw Palmetto

Trichosaccaride

Vitamin B6

Zinc

8. Consult a Doctor

Finally, you should also talk to a dermatologist to work with you on specific drug treatments, including scalp injections, other common drugs like Rogaine and Propecia, or applying specific hair loss treatments which has been proven to help non-thyroid related hair fall condition.

References:

Co-founder of HarVokseClinic.com. When his partner (Eleora Sills) experienced hair loss problem and got a great result using Har Vokse, he decided to help others by creating a website about hair loss treatments.